The Dream That Time Dreams

First off, it's important to regularly get a good night's sleep. Dreams don't occur until about 3 hours after sleep sets in, so the more sleep you get, the more dream material you've get to work with. Of course, power naps have been known to generate dreams as well, but you can't always count on being so lucky.

Dream Recall

Dreaming is easy. You do it every time you go to sleep. Remembering those dreams is a whole other thing. In order to remember, you need a certain mindset. Think about dreaming during the day. Think about dreaming when you get in bed at night. Look forward to it, even if it's just a flicker of light. There's something there, and it'll come.

When you wake, wake gently. Don't move. Don't even open your eyes. You'll inerrupt yourself, otherwise. Just focus on your dream. Start with whatever is on your mind at the very moment. A feeling, a color, a time of day, a song, a person. Whatever images you can remember.

Once you have something, open your eyes and easily, comfortably, get out of bed. Then write down what you've remembered in your dream journal. A notebook is preferable, but I use a Word document and it works for me. Write it down right away. You may think you'll remember it after you brush your teeth or eat your breakfast, but it's much more likely that you'll forget everything.

If you don't remember the whole dream, write down at least one detail - that it was daytime, how you felt, or if you remember one person that was in it. If you don't remember anything, don't worry about it. If you're lucky, something you see or do during the day will remind you of your dream.

Thinking about your dreams, talking to others about your dreams, and writing in your dream journal all contribute to your dream recall. Your investment will be rewarded with even more dreams.

Dream Cognizance

Essentially, the purpose of lucid training is to set up habits so that your dreaming self is as bright and cognizant of your surrounding as your waking self. The goal is to become more observant and aware.

The crucial step here is the reality check. Several times a day - ideally, several times an hour - you should perform a task that proves that you are awake. The most sure-fire reality check is a double-take: 1) Find some written language on a sign/book/bag of chips and read it. 2) Look away for a few solid seconds. 3) Look back at the text, reread it, and make certain that it reads the same thing that it did before.

If the text in step 1 does not match the text in step 3, then you are likely dreaming. This kind of check also works when checking the time. The same procedure may work with other small details, but it's arguably easier to notice a difference in text and numbers than in objects.

Once you make a habit out of performing reality checks, with time, you will be able to perform them in your dreams as well.

Dream Control

I haven't gotten this far yet. As soon as I recognize that I'm in a dream, I wake up.

I'll let you know if I make any breakthroughs.

http://www.dr-dream.com/remember.htm